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| Home > Publications database > Climatic zones and rural housing in India |
| Home > Publications database > Climatic zones and rural housing in India |
| Book/Report | FZJ-2017-00423 |
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1988
Kernforschungsanlage Jülich GmbH Zentralbibliothek, Verlag
Jülich
ISBN: 3-89336-008-5
Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/13436
Report No.: Juel-Spez-0473
Abstract: Over many centuries, examples of building design and building techniques have been developed in all climatic zones, bringing forth structures that provide more or less comfortable living conditions without the use of sophisticated technical devices. Most designers in the past were familiar with the climate in which they were building. They were also aware of ways by which they could benefit from certain climatic features, and overcome those that are less favourable, merely by means of appropriate building shapes, location and orientation. Additional elements, such as vegetation and water, were also integrated into the building design to improve the microclimatic conditions. Just as in allother c1imatic zones of the world, vemacular architecture in India generally exhibits considerable ingenuity in the use of locally available materials and techniques, to produce buildings that are weil adapted to the local climate. Many such proven methods have been ignored in the design of modem buildings, which consequently need special means for heating and cooling, invariably incurring high costs for equipment and energy input. For example, this can be illustrated in the context of Rajasthan, a hot and dry region in the north-west of India. The c1imate is characterized by high daytime temperatures and uncomfortably low night temperatures. The solution best suited to such wide temperature fluctuations is to delay the entry of heat into the building, such that it reaches the interior when it is least bothersome. The inhabitants of this area achieve this desired thermal perrormance by using thick walls and materials of high thermal capacity , such as mud and stone. Furthermore, the houses are closely spaced, in order to achieve maximum building volume with minimum surface area exposed to the sun. By these means, a considerable reduction in solar heat absorption is achieved, and it takes longer for the walls to heat up completely, thereby keeping the interior cool during the day. After sunset, most of the heat stored in the walls is radiated out to the sky, while a small amountwarras the indoor space. In a warm and humid climate, the diurnal temperature variations are small, so that materials of low heat storage capacity are more appropriate. Therefore, the people construct their houses with lighter materials, such as palm leaves and twigs, allowing air to circulate, avoiding stagnant humid air and providing comfort by evaporative cooling. These are two examples of climatic zones in India, where six different zones have been identified. Similar climaticzones are also found in various other parts of the world, so that the results of a study of climatic design elements in different parts of India can be equally applicable in other countries.
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